Chief Technical Officer, Berkeley Space Center; U

Position: Chief Technical Officer, Berkeley Space Center (0389U) 83445
Chief Technical Officer, Berkeley Space Center (0389U

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About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty and staff. As a world‑leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice.

Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity‑focused community that views education as a matter of social justice.

Departmental Overview

Berkeley Space Center is a groundbreaking new innovation ecosystem and proposed 36‑acre campus at NASA Research Park where academia, government mission agencies, global industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and international partners come together to accelerate breakthroughs in air and space systems. The project will focus on becoming a world‑class hub for dual‑use innovation—uniting cutting‑edge research with real‑world capability delivery at one of the most strategically important federal research sites in the country in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Position Summary

The Chief Technical Officer is the senior technical executive for Berkeley Space Center and the primary architect of its research and capability‑development agenda. Reporting to the Associate Provost, the CTO leads BSC’s technical strategy, champions interdisciplinary research, and develops large, multi‑institution, multi‑million‑dollar programs aligned with UC Berkeley strengths, NASA Ames mission domains, and national priorities. This highly energetic, accomplished leader must bring deep technical credibility—especially with DARPA, NASA, DoD, national laboratories, and major research sponsors—and possess the ability to communicate inspiring ideas, rally diverse institutions, and secure significant funding.

This is a historic opportunity to help build a national‑impact innovation district from the ground up, at the nexus of UC Berkeley excellence and NASA Ames research heritage.

Application Review Date

The minimum posting duration for this position is 14 calendar days. The department will initiate the application review process on/after January 21, 2026. Applications will be considered until the job is filled.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership – Lead BSC’s technical strategy and long‑term capability planning. Develop high‑value, multi‑institution federal proposals. Initiate new research thrusts aligned with UC Berkeley and NASA Ames priorities. Represent the Associate Provost in senior technical engagements.

• Analysis and Management – Conduct technical and policy analyses to inform BSC investments. Build and maintain technical roadmaps and performance metrics. Oversee research administration, budget development, and post‑award operations. Evaluate technical feasibility and alignment of proposed initiatives.

• Communications and Outreach – Serve as BSC’s authoritative technical spokesperson. Brief senior government, academic and industry leaders. Lead technical content development for communications, workshops and symposia. Coordinate research‑focused events and interdisciplinary engagements.

• External Technical Leadership – Represent UC Berkeley at national forums, federal briefings and advisory panels. Maintain relationships with senior leaders at DARPA, NASA, DoD and national laboratories. Evaluate BSC’s national visibility in dual‑use innovation and advanced capability development.

Required Qualifications

• 12‑15 years (or equivalent) of interdisciplinary professional experience in Deep Tech with strong business acumen, specifically including experience with national security stakeholders.

• Direct experience at DARPA, NASA, DoD, DOE/NNSA or a major national laboratory.

• Demonstrated ability to design and win large, complex, multi‑million‑dollar…